i don't think it'd be shocking critics so much as wanting to win. the problem with him in LA isn't touches, but it's his role in the offense. basically, with Mike Brown the whole team hated the "Princeton offense" because you had to keep moving and the ball wasn't guaranteed on a play. with D'Antoni, you either have a 1-5 pick and roll (which Kobe isn't giving allowing) or a Kobe centered offense.

with the Spurs, it'd be different. you let Splitter go and Howard is now in just about every play on the court with a pick and roll with Parker. Duncan is spotting up nowadays too, so that's not a problem and the 2 & 3's in the offense are spotting up.

First, I want to say that I think Howard is the best center in basketball and any team in the NBA would want him over at least one of the guys they currently have manning the post. That said, I think there would be major problems fitting Howard in the Spurs system and at the end of the day, he wouldn't be worth the salary slot the Spurs would have to allocate to him.

On just a chemistry/cultural issue, he would enter the Spurs firmly in Pop's doghouse. Let us not forget the utter contempt Pop had for Howard over his demeanor and performance during the all-star game. Do a Google search for "dwight howard popovich" and the first article that pops up is a bleacher report story titled, "Gregg Popovich Reportedly Cursed Out Dwight Howard at 2013 ..." Scroll down a little and you the following from a more reliable source:

According to ESPN, via Complex, West coach Gregg Popovich was drawing Howard up a play during a timeout. But when he looked up to confirm it, Howard wasn't there, but instead talking and joking with courtside celebrities and such. So, reportedly, Popovich scrapped it and lobbed a few f-bombs while doing so.

The All-Star Game is obviously a place for hijinks and silliness, but even Howard was out there too much. In the second half, Howard attempted a 3 -- his second of the game -- and made it, to which Popovoch immediately subbed him out. Planned, or something to that?

Who knows. And who even knows how true this story of heresay is. Point is, it certainly seems true because of Howard's reputations. Kobe Bryant has talked about how the Lakers need to be more serious, how guys need to quit laughing and smiling after losses. I don't think it takes a genius to figure out whom he might be talking about.

That is a rather poor first impression to have made with your future head coach.